Two Year Apology
by nelliizm
Summary: Based off of 'EndlessStorm' story 'In the Closet'. Steven hadn't been in Hoenn around Christmas for a couple of years now, and he was dreading the fact that he had to attend the annual Hoenn league Christmas party. He didn't leave on good terms and he had a lot of making up to do. How was he going to pull it off? steven/may


**Hi! So this story is based off of 'EndlessStorm' story 'In the Closet'. I seriously suggest reading the original story first as this is written from Stevens point of view. It's not essential to read the original but I strongly suggest it! **

** u/2684452/EndlessStorm**

**I wanted to write this because I enjoyed the original so much that I felt Stevens side of the story needed to be told. I felt like I needed to get inside his head and express his emotions to show why he did the things he did. **

**Anyway, thanks to EndlessStorm for allowing me to publish this! I hope you like it :D**

* * *

><p>I hated parties.<p>

Especially Christmas parties.

For two years I had been able to avoid the annual Hoenn league Christmas party; it wasn't exactly hard to do, considering I was normally in different regions at this time of the year. Whether it be for geology or for my love of Pokemon, I traveled the land like it was my back yard, experiencing life and learning new things.

But this particular Christmas party I was invited to attend, I somehow could not avoid.

The thought of the childish games, alcohol and strange conversations echoed through my head. I remembered hosting this party for five years in a row and I hated every second of it. All of Hoenns elite were invited. This was from the elite four, to the eight gym members and even right down to professor Birch. Anyone with a big name in Hoenn was invited. I had to hire a venue in Ever grande, big enough to host over two hundred people yet small enough that the paparazzi didn't find the place.

It was a big task to say the least, and I was glad I didn't have to do any of the organizing anymore.

Normally I would have checked the 'decline to attend' box on the invitation, but this year I was in Hoenn and it had been awhile since I had seen everyone. Especially the new champion.

I remembered May very well, she taught me things that I wouldn't have learned if I stayed in the Pokemon league. She gave me the courage to explore the world, to travel with my Pokemon and learn more about them. I owed her my life.

With a smiley face ticked next to the box that wrote 'Attending', I attached the invitation to the leg of a Tailow that had delivered it to me. As I watched Tailow take to the skies towards Ever Grande, I could only look on in awe at what was to come at this party. I didn't leave on good terms. I just hoped she would forgive me.

* * *

><p>I hoped May didn't have some kind of grudge against me, after all, I only left because I felt that I had to.<p>

May was a very interesting girl and I had watched her carefully on her journey. She was a little younger than I was, also a little naïve, but that's what made her so interesting. She didn't know it at the time, but I followed her from a distance. I watched her battle and grow with her Pokemon. It was a bond that I had never seen in a trainer before. I praised her every time we 'met', ensuring she continued her path with the passion and love that she had for her Pokemon.

This eventually paid off for her as she defeated Team Aqua, saving all of Hoenn from devastation. Then just as it seemed her journey was over, she took to the Pokemon league where she defeated the champion. Me.

I was Champion for five years and to see the girl that I watched grow stronger and stronger, eventually enough to beat me, needless to say I was gobsmacked. May was an amazing trainer and not long after strenuous battle, it became obvious I had feelings for her.

That's why I had to leave. I made the decision a few weeks after she had defeated me, packing my bags while she was in space fighting Deoxys. Technically I was supposed to be at Ever Grande for her inauguration ceremony, but I couldn't do it. I had to leave.

I knew she would want to find me, I knew she would pound down the door at my Mossdeep home until I answered. I had no plans of hanging around until then, instead I left a note on the table with a pokeball containing a Beldum next to it. I knew it wasn't the best apology, but Beldum was one of my most trusted Pokemon and I left it to her knowing that she would take care of it like it was her own.

It was almost a year later before I returned to Hoenn. I had been traveling through Kanto and for some strange reason I had to urge to see May. Maybe because I was on my own kind of journey I expected to see her standing not far from me as I did for her when she first started out. Or maybe more simply put, it was because I missed her.

I begged Wallace for her address and he relentlessly gave it to me, his expression held tight as if he knew what I was going to do. "You haven't been back for over a year, Steven."

"I know," I looked to the ground slightly.

"You missed the inauguration ceremony."

"I know."

"You hurt her feelings."

I looked up to him through my silver lashes. "Wallace, I know."

"Don't expect her to be kind, she is the Champion now. She has the back bone of a Steel Type trainer."

That was one thing that Wallace wasn't wrong about. I knew I didn't deserve any kind of mercy, but the look I was greeted with when she opened the door was something I didn't expect.

She was wearing pink pajamas with little skittys on them, her feet covered in pikachu slippers and her hair was large with knots. I couldn't help but smile. This was not the Champion with the back bone of a steel type trainer that Wallace had described to me.

"Hi May," I said lightly, I couldn't help but smile. "May I come in?"

Her blue eyes widened and for a moment I thought she looked happy. There was a softness in her eyes that spoke of purity and kindness; but it was soon changed as if she realised it was me, slamming the door in my face.

I stood waiting for a few seconds, unsure whether I should leave or not. I deserved it though, I left when I should have stayed, I should have been there for her.

With a small creak I heard the door handle turn, May opening the door with a little more composure then when I first knocked. She stood to the side, her hands shaking as she let me inside. I smiled a little as I looked over her Ever Grande apartment. It was full of wonderful photos of Pokemon, her family and many other people I had never seen before.

"May, I have so much to tell you," I said as I sat down on one of her two couches. "Kanto was so-"

"Steven."

I heard her say my name, but I was so nervous I didn't want to stop talking. I couldn't imagine the silence, I didn't know what I would say if I couldn't talk about my journey. "It was so amazing, May. I have to show you this gem, when I found it I thought of you immediately. It's just like-"

"Steven."

"This had to be the first place I came when I got back to the region. Well, after Wallace's of course. I had to find out where you were living. Not that I thought you weren't the champion anymore-"

"Steven, shut the hell up for a moment would you?"

My blabbering stopped as I looked at May, her eyes down towards the ground with her arms across her chest defensively. I stood up slowly and set the gem down on the coffee table.

"What's wrong?" I asked as I approached her cautiously. She took a step back and looked at me like I was the plague. I gulped.

"What's _wrong_?" She repeated after me like it was venom on her tongue. "You're seriously asking me what's _wrong?_ Steven, you abandoned me. You ditched me. And worst of all, you didn't even say goodbye."

I knew at the time that what I was doing was wrong, but I had to leave. I couldn't stay, I couldn't destroy a friendship because of my own selfish feelings. "I left a note," I said slyly, my eyes diverting from her gaze. "How is Beldum, by the way?"

"It's a Metagross now," she muttered under her breath.

I watched from the corner of my eyes as she walked past me, the smell of her shampoo hitting me like a tone of rocks. It was beautiful, like roses on a spring afternoon. She picked up the gem I had set down earlier, her fingers running over the glass casing carefully.

"You're a great trainer, May," I said to her softly. "I entrusted you with one of my favorite Pokemon because I knew you would raise it right. You always do."

I had the sudden urge to reach out and grab her, hold onto her like she was all I ever wanted in life. Something in her eyes triggered the feeling inside me; it was the tears that were forming. Did I do this to her?

Suddenly May ripped open the glass case, pulling out the stone and throwing the rest on the couch. She held it up like it was poison, staring at it with a glare that could have scared any Arbok back to their nest.

"It's a rose quartz. Its supposed to radiate positive auras. I thought of you when I found it because of how great you made people feel."

"You don't even care," she muttered, holding the quartz in her shaky hands.

I gulped again. I could see the hurt in her eyes, but what could I say? It was obvious she wouldn't forgive me. "I don't care about what?"

"Do you have any idea what kind of hell the last year has been without you?" Her blue eyes looked at me, full of tears. She was trying to hold back her emotions, her bottom lip quivering. I felt my heart sink.

"May, I'm sorry... I- I had no idea-"

"Of course you didn't. You were too busy collecting _rocks..."_

I didn't know what to say. I had nothing to say. Nothing I could have said was going to make her smile. It was obvious how betrayed she felt, and it was all my fault.

"A goddamn quartz isn't going to make up for all you put me through," She yelled at me, her voice shaky as she dropped the quartz to the ground. It shattered into a million pieces.

As tears fell from her eyes she held her hands up to her face as she stared at the broken quartz. I knew what she was thinking, but it didn't matter to me. Nothing else mattered to me now but her. Without even thinking I pulled her into a hug. She froze completely but I wrapped my arms around her regardless, her heart slamming against her rib cage. Her hands tightened on my jacket and for a moment I felt like this was the right thing, this was what I was supposed to do. This was what I wanted.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered to her over and over again. "So, so sorry."

As her tears ran dry she pushed away from me, my hands still lingering on her arms. I didn't want to let go of her, I wanted to hold her tight for all of eternity. I watched her carefully as she pointed to the door. "Get out."

"May..." I looked at her confused. The malice in her voice felt like a knife cutting straight through my stomach.

"Go. Please."

"I can make this up to you," I whispered.

"Please," her lip trembled. "Get. Out."

This was only the first case. Our second altercation came almost a year later, only a few months ago now. I tried to call her on multiple occasions, but she wouldn't answer. I often left messages, small ones that said nothing more than a 'Hello' or 'Hope you are okay'. But I gave up all hopes of reconnecting with May when she didn't return my phone calls.

I had no one to blame but myself. I abandoned her. I left her to face the life of a Champion all on her own. She depended on me and I wasn't there. As far as I was concerned the silence was my punishment; she didn't care for me and it was something that I had to deal with.

In an effort to make some sort of amends I attended the semi annual league conference, only because if May was not available I was to take her place as Champion. Apparently she was sick and didn't turn up to the meeting. Everyone in the meeting gave each other strange looks and Wallace gave me an exceptionally odd look, his brow cocked in question.

"Don't ask me, she doesn't want to talk," I told Wallace after the meeting. "It's obvious she isn't interested. I screwed up."

When the next conference meeting that came up six months later, I half expected May not to turn up; but I was wrong. She couldn't avoid these meetings all her life, as Champion it was her duty to attend.

When the meeting was over everyone mingled for a bit, eating strange small sandwiches and drinking champagne. I wanted to leave but I knew I couldn't be the first one to go. I would get questioned and I was sure Wallace was going to throttle me if I left before everyone else.

I approached the refreshments table, pouring myself a glass of water. As I looked up beautiful blue eyes met mine, followed by a nervous but pure smile.

"Hi... Steven," May said softly.

Our eyes seemed to dance between each other like fireworks in the sky. There was so much I wanted to ask her. How was she doing? Was she happy? Did she think about me? These were things I may have been able to ask her if I hadn't have left her two years ago. She was no longer the small girl that just started out on her journey. May was now a woman, who was the champion of the Hoenn region. She didn't need me in her life. I was nothing but a burden.

"Hello," I said simply, my gaze drifting elsewhere as I took my water and walked off.

I couldn't bare to say anymore to her. I didn't have the right. I didn't want to hurt her again.

* * *

><p>I had to say, this party was far better than any I had ever thrown as champion.<p>

May had picked the perfect venue, she had pokeball decorations with some balloons of her favourite Pokemon on the walls. There was a designated area for food and refreshments, an outside deck area for smokers and a large dance floor for all the drunks that decided to think they could dance. I had to say I was proud of her, she really out did herself.

"Far better than any party you ever threw."

I eyed Wallace as he passed me a glass of champagne. "I know."

He dusted off his white suit lightly and patted me on the shoulder. "I'm glad you could make it."

I gave him a small smile before he wandered into the large crowd. I found professor Birch and spoke to him for a while, he told me the amount of trainers wanting to begin their journeys had increased by 23% in the last year because of all the promotional work that May had been doing. Brawly said the same thing, he had so many new trainers coming into the gym and he said they all did it because of May.

She was truly something amazing alright, and she didn't need my help at all. In the few hours that I had been here I hadn't seen her at all. Even though I knew I shouldn't have been looking for her, I found myself searching through the crowds; it was like looking for a needle in a hay stack.

I managed to catch a glance of Wallace and I pushed myself through the crowd towards him. I needed to know where May was. I had to find her. I had to apologize to her. But before I could get the chance to ask where she was, I saw her standing in front of him; her dress red and hugging her figure perfectly. Her hair was down in curls, so different from what I was used to seeing her like. She looked so beautiful.

"You better not be talking about me again, Wallace," I said under my breath lightly.

I glanced at May quickly, her cheeks completely red, before I looked back to Wallace. I could see him trying to tell me something, his eyes glaring at me like he was some kind of older brother to May. He cared about her as well, he didn't want her to hurt as much as I did. No doubt he would have seen Mays tears a lot more than I would have.

I patted him on the shoulder, as if we both understood where each other was coming from. "Good to see you, old friend."

As I made my way back through the crowd I could still hear them talking.

"You two are hopeless," Wallace chuckled.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

* * *

><p>The next hour went by similarly to the last. I continued to make conversation with people, smiling fakely as I constantly looked for May out the corner of my eyes. The glare she was sending me should have been enough clarification; she obviously didn't want anything to do with me. It was obvious that she was ignoring me; but I still needed to talk to her. I had to apologise.<p>

As the sound of silverware tapping against glass echoed through the room, I adverted my attention from the slightly drunk gym leaders to Phoebe, who stood on a chair to gather every ones attention as she was so short.

"I think we should get started with some games," She announced, a devilish smile plastered over her drunk face. "I say we should start with Seven minutes in heaven."

I rolled my eyes dramatically; it was clear that nothing about Phoebe had changed. She was a small child at heart and often tried to relive her teenage years through these strange games.

"We're not twelve," someone yelled through the crowd. I wanted to nod in agreement but there was strange silence from everyone. Was no one going to protest to this childish game? "How is this a christmas game?" the female voice yelled again.

As the crowd of participating players gathered, I stood off set before Wallace found me. He looked me up and down as his arms were across his chest.

"What?" I demanded.

"I'm assuming you are going to play," he said with a smile. "After all, May is playing."

My brows furrowed in disbelief. "She wouldn't play an immature game like this. It's not her thing."

Wallace waved his hand eagerly. "Isnt it? Because I can see her sitting down over there, and that boy Brendan looks like hes pretty keen on-"

"Alright I'll play," I interrupted him. I knew what kind of game Wallace was enticing me into. He was playing the jealousy card, and for some strange reason, it was _working._

All participants were seated in a circle with a large green bottle in the middle. Some of the older people, like professor Birch, Glacia and Drake remained within the halls talking among themselves. They obviously knew how ridiculous this game was.

As I made eye contact with May from across the circle, I watched her cheeks turn the slightest shade of red. I couldn't help being roped in by Wallace, I couldn't bare to see her run off with Brendan into a goddamn closet. If anyone was going to be alone with May it was going to be me. I smiled at her.

"Okay, who wants to go first?" Phoebe grinned.

No one answered, so Wallace reluctantly raised his hand. I nudged him slightly and he nudged me back before spinning the green bottle. Everyone was holding their breath until the bottle landed on Flannery.

I watched Wallace grin from ear to ear as Flannery turned completely red. He always had a crush on the new Gym leader, expressing how she reminded him of a piece of fine art. As he stood she also got up and they began walking in the direction of the closet. Someone gave a loud cat call and I continued on with a wolf whistle. I wasn't much for these childish games but Wallace had been waiting for an opportunity to talk to Flannery for a long time. He finally was getting his chance.

"Im starting your time now," Phoebe yelled as they entered the closet. She set the timer on her poke nav and it began counting down from seven minutes.

The time went quickly, after all I had a beautiful view. May sat elegantly opposite me, her legs pulled into her side as her attention was focused on the ground. Her long curls dropped past her face hiding her eyes. When Phoebes timer went off, Wallace and Flannery emerged from the closet. Of course Wallace looked very impressed with himself, but Flannery looked more shocked than when the game first started.

Next, Roxanne spun the bottle. As it landed on Brendan he yelled out in excitement. Was he hoping to get Roxanne and not May? I gave Wallace a side glance and he just shrugged at me. The game continued. Brawly and Phoebe. Winona and Roxanne. Sidney and Zinnia. Wallace and Phoebe.

Soon enough it came to May; it was her turn to spin the bottle. She looked stunned as her eyes glanced around the circle before she made an attempt to spin. Needless to say I was relieved when the bottle landed on me.

It didn't seem to sink in for her until my hand was reaching out to her, offering her a hand up. She accepted my offer of help relentlessly, her own hand shaking in mine. As we walked towards the closet the room was filled with whistles and cheering, but May didn't seem too excited. She ripped her hand away from mine and held it to her chest tightly.

I closed the door behind us quietly and I exhaled like I had been holding my breath for hours. Finally, I was going to be able to talk to her. I would be able to apologise, regardless of whether she forgave me or not.

"So..." I began, rubbing the back of my neck as if thinking of how to explain myself.

"I'm sorry," she blurted out, the sound of her hand clasping over her mouth like she wasn't supposed to say a word.

I took in a raspy breath and looked down at her. "...For what? I am the one who should be apologising."

May shook her head, a pained look upon her face. "You've apologised enough. And I have been too stubborn to realise you cared enough to actually be sorry. I'm sorry for doing the same thing to you that you had done to me. I sent you away then continued to ignore you. I abandoned _you_."

Was I hearing this right? Was she apologising to me? I stood there confused, looking into her ocean blue eyes. I had been waiting for almost a year to apologise to her and yet here she was saying it to me. "May..."

"And now I've ruined everything," she said sadly, the hint of tears tickling at her eye lashes. "because now you don't even care. I've screwed up too bad."

"What do you mean I don't care?" I demanded. That was far from the truth.

She looked away from my eyes and seemed to focus her attention on my red tie. "You've hardly noticed me all night, it's like you don't even want to talk to me anymore..."

Once again, that was very far from the truth. I was looking for her all night. Searching for her in the crowd. She was constantly on my mind, always. "I sort of gave up on you for awhile," I admitted. "I never thought you would give me the time of day again. I didn't talk to you because I didn't want to hurt anymore."

Her eyes widened in guilt. "Why... Why did you even care so much? I'm nothing special and I have nothing to offer you."

I could see her emotions beginning to get the better of her. Maybe it was because we were alone in this closet she felt the need to express everything at once. I took a step closer. Was seven minutes up yet?

"May," I said gently my hand reaching and cupping her cheek. She flinched at my touch, but seemed to settle as I stood in even closer, only an inch remaining between us. "You have no idea how much you mean to me. You're the most amazing girl I have ever met. You don't know how hard it has been for me, being apart for all these years."

She finally looked up to me, her eyes full of remorse. With a small yelp her arms wrapped around my neck and I found myself embracing her, my head resting on hers.

"You're an idiot," she grumbled into my chest, her grip on my neck getting tighter.

I couldn't help but smile; this was what I wanted, just me and her. We were finally able to talk. "Why is that?"

May pulled away slightly and looked deep into my silver eyes. "For not realising you could do so much better."

"Not possible."

With a small smile she pulled me back into a hug, and I was more than pleased to accept it. I felt finally at peace, like all of the fighting between us meant nothing. This was going to be a clean start, our friendship was not going to be ruined over something that I could have avoided.

"What if I still have feelings for you..?" She mumbled into my shirt.

I froze a little, then followed by a small chuckle. "That would be nice, considering I still have feelings for you... Wait, are you saying you had feelings for me... before?"

May pulled away a little and wrapped her arms around herself in a small hug. "Do you blame me? You're _dreamboat Steven Stone._"

I rolled my eyes in a friendly manner. "If I had known, I would never have left."

She inhaled sharply. "That's why I was mad that you left."

I felt guilty, incredibly and utterly guilty. If I had stayed, it was entirely possible that our friendship would not have been ruined. It could have flourished into something more incredible. I could have stayed to help May become the champion, I could have helped her through all of her tough decision making. I could have been there for her; but I wasn't. I was too busy focused on my own selfish feelings. "I'm so sorry."

"Shh," she said lightly placing a small finger against my lips. I smiled sadly but muttered something under her fingers. "Huh?"

"I said they're probably wondering why it's so quiet in here," I pulled her finger away.

I could see her cheeks going red and she smiled at me shyly. Her hand reached behind my head as she coaxed me closer, our noses lightly brushing against each others. I could feel my heart racing out of control. "Maybe we should change that then...?"

I couldn't wait any longer. Two years was long enough. I brought my lips down to hers and they met instantly. Her lips were so soft, the hint of strawberry's tickling my tongue as our mouths danced together.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. "Alright guys, times up!"

I cursed under my breath and May looked up to be with a cheeky grin. "You know, we don't have to go out..."

I watched her as she turned the lock on the closet door. I inhaled deeply and smiled, staring at her like she was the only person in the entire world. Within moments her legs were wrapped around my waist; I had one hand on the small of her back and another holding her thigh where her dress decided to ride up. Her skin felt like feathers under my hands and she pulled our lips together once again.

Ten minutes later Phoebe was back, pounding on the door like her life depended on it. "C'mon guys this isn't funny!" We continued to ignore her, our only attention focused on each other. The sound of Phoebe giving up could be heard by her telling everyone that the game was over.

May giggled against my lips as I pulled her in even tighter.

This was all I wanted.

Me and her.

I finally had it.


End file.
